Properties and classification of selected volcanic ash soils from Abashiri, Northern Japan—transition of Andisols to Mollisols

Properties and classification of four selected volcanic ash soils from Abashiri, Hokkaido were studied and the transition of Andisols to Mollisols was discussed. Two of the four pedons (Brown Andosol and Cumulic Andosol)1 showed morphological, clay mineralogical, physical, and chemical properties common to most Andisols in Japan. However, the properties of the other two pedons (Acid Brown Forest soil and Brown Forest soil)1 were considerably different from those of common Andisols in Japan. It was found that the changes in the andic soil properties or transition of Andisols to Mollisols was closely related to the progression of clay weathering, mainly the transformation of noncrystalline clay materials to halloysite. One of the four pedons (Brown Forest soil)1had the clay fraction dominated by halloysite from the uppermost horizon down to the bottom of the profile and satisfied both andic and mollic requirements. Thus we concluded that the pedon is a transitional soil between Andisols and Mollisols and that the transition is closely related to the duration of surface weathering under relatively weak leaching conditions. The four pedons were classified according to the Andisol Proposal (Leamy et al. 1988, New Zealand Soil Bureau) as follows: Pedon 1: Medial, amorphic (allophane/imogolite), frigid Typic Hapludand (Brown Andosol).1 Pedon 2: Medial, amorphic (allophane/imogolite), frigid Typic Melanudand (Cumulic Andosol).1 Pedon 3: Medial, amorphic (allophane/ imogolite), over kandic, frigid Typic Melanudand (Acid Brown Forest soil).1 Pedon 4: Medial, kandic, frigid Typic Hapludand (Brown Forest soil).1